Object Image

Girl in Front of the Lottery

It is moving to see the young woman looking wide-eyed at the numbers. She has not won and the lottery tickets in her hand are worthless, the money she staked irretrievably lost. Perhaps she will try her luck again in the lottery announced as the “kleiner Spiel für Linz” on the sign. But whatever she decides, we already know the “winner”—and this will be the state. Around 1830, the state raked in almost half of the lottery money. The scene takes place at a “Trafik,” where, in addition to lottery tickets, tobacco products were also sold: pipes and tobacco tins can be seen in the display behind the girl. For all the emotion, perhaps even sympathy, this scene inspires, it is also a warning against ...
1829
Oil on canvas
63.0 x 50.0cm
2177
Image © Belvedere, Vienna, 2024

Where you'll find this

Upper Belvedere
Permanent collection

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